Drug abuse is a devastating problem, tearing apart lives and changing users into people they don’t even recognize. Addiction wracks the body and mind, sending people to extremes that they would never otherwise consider, taking over until all they can think about is how to get more drugs so they don’t feel sick any more. Beyond the personal disgrace, broken marriages, ruined jobs, pain and suffering caused by drug abuse, in many ways it is children who receive the full brunt of it. And the blow hits harder because of the nature of betrayal.
Put yourself in the shoes of a child. Parents should be respected, looked up to; they are to lead you toward a bright future and responsible adulthood. Not only that, you depend on them for survival. You expect clean clothes, groceries in the fridge, help with homework and words of encouragement.
Not if your parents are drug addicts. Instead, you will likely come home to an empty fridge, a week’s worth of dishes in the sink, and a parent or two–and their friends–passed out on the couch. Worse, you may find yourself the victim of violence or sexual abuse, often part and parcel with drug abuse.
Connection Between Drugs And Child Abuse
Children whose parents are addicted to drugs and alcohol are thirteen times more likely to be abused and neglected. This can happen in many ways:
• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Babies born to substance-addicted mothers
• Neglect, such as being left alone at home, not being fed or clothed properly, and so on.
Children of parents who abuse drugs typically demonstrate poor academic performance and have a higher rate of ending up in foster care. They also have a much higher likelihood of turning to drug and alcohol abuse themselves.
How Prescription Drugs Fit Into The Equation
The most shocking scenario is when parents who were once totally clean become addicts, as is the case with prescription drug abuse. Addiction to prescription opiates is becoming more and more predominant in the United States. It often creeps up unexpectedly, starting out as pain management and leading to full-blown drug addiction. There are several signs of opiate dependence to be wary of if you are on prescription medication such as Percocet, Vicodin, Oxycontin or morphine:
• Signs of withdrawal when decreasing or stopping use of the drug (including cough, runny nose, muscle aches, insomnia, diarrhea and stomach aches and extreme thirst)
• Cravings
• Feelings of depression or anxiety when not on the drugs
Eventually, users will become consumed by the need for more drugs, not worrying about cost or consequence–all that seems to matter is getting more drugs. For a child, watching a competent parent turn into a desperate drug addict can be devastating.
It is vital that parents suffering from drug addiction get the help they need–for the safety of themselves and their children. Narconon urges any parent with a drug or alcohol program to get immediate help. A long term program is best and even though it may be a few weeks or months away from loved ones, it can provide a lifetime of recovery.
To allow an addiction to continue can only cause heartache and loss for the entire family. Narconon can handle any type of drug or alcohol abuse problem and seven out of ten of our graduates are able to stay permanently drug free.
Contact us today for more information.
Source: http://www.news-journalonline.com/opinion/editorials/n-j-editorials/2012/08/21/children-suffer-most-from-prescription-drug-epidemic.html